Two Palestinians killed by IDF in West Bank clashes

One killed as some 1,200 Palestinians protest against Israel's operation in Gaza; in Ramallah, protestors clash with IDF forces.

A Palestinian protester kicks a burning tire during clashes with Israeli troops at a protest in West Bank city of Ramallah.
(photo credit:REUTERS)

Israeli forces killed two Palestinians in clashes in the West Bank on Friday, Palestinian medical officials said.

Some 1,200 demonstrators took to the streets of the northern West Bank city of Tulkarem, to protest against the IDF's operation in Gaza.

Violence erupted when the protestors began marching towards an IDF checkpoint and throwing rocks and Molotov cocktails at Israeli troops, which endangered workers in the city's industrial zone, according to an IDF spokeswoman.

The IDF responded with gunfire, killing a Palestinian protestor who was leading the rally, and wounding several others.

The army said it had launched an investigation into the incident.

Meanwhile, in Ramallah, Palestinians clashed with Israeli forces during a protest against Operation Protective Edge, outside Israel's Ofer military prison. Rioters in the West Bank city hurled rocks and torched tires, as Israeli troops fired tear gas and used crowd dispersal means

An Israeli military spokeswoman said troops resorted to using live fire after protesters were not deterred by riot-dispersal means that troops had deployed initially.

The IDF was looking into the incident.

In Hebron, hundreds of demonstrators marched through the streets, chanting pro-Hamas slogans and waving flags. Masked men used slingshots to Israeli army forces fired stun grenades and tear gas at protesters when some of the Palestinians threw rocks at them.

Bethlehem saw a similar scene unfolding, albeit on a much smaller scale, as demonstrators were met by Israeli military vehicles and soldiers. Some protesters threw stones at Israeli border police while other lit tires and trash cans ablaze.

The events come just a week after thousands of Palestinians in Kalandia rallied in support of the residents of Gaza in a massive demonstrations that saw some 10,000 Palestinians protesting in the streets.

Reuters contributed to this report.

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